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1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to piano instructional devices. More particularly the present invention relates to an improved device which is positionable on a piano keyboard, and through the use of preprogrammed red and green LED""s, a person can play songs on the piano.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the subject of music instruction, one of the most valuable instruments taught is the piano. Instruction of how to play the piano has always utilized a one-on-one teacher to student participation over a very long time period. Although this system is continually to be utilized, there have been efforts to devise teaching methods wherein the student, playing alone, can learn how to play the piano to a certain extent. One of such methods is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,743, issued to Decker, which teaches the use of a device which is placed upon a keyboard of a piano, the device maintained at a stationary location, so as to allow a student to follow its instructions. The device provides at least one light means which is capable of displaying multiple lights over a single key, such as green and red, alternatively, depending on the hand to be used. The device has certain drawbacks in that the device fits in place, and is prevented from moving laterally because of the raised black keys. Also, among other drawbacks, there is no left or right hand select, to allow the player to concentrate only on a single hand during practice.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an improved device which has additional features and which is novel in its approach to teaching people to play the piano without the need of a teacher.
The apparatus of the present invention solves the problems in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is a piano instructional apparatus including a frame positionable on the keyboard of a piano, the frame transversely slidable along the keyboard for going from key of xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d to other keys; two rows of light means, having a plurality of LEDs, positioned along the frame, over each note, so as to provide red LEDs on the lower row to strike the key with the left hand, and green LEDs on the upper row to strike the key with the right hand, when a particular LED is lit. There is further provided a hand select means which allows a person to use a single hand during practicing certain notes. There is further provided encryption of certain tunes within the unit so that a person may call up a certain tune and follow the notes through the lighting of the LEDs, at either an automatic tempo or their own selected tempo. There will be included a metronome for following the beats in the tune selected.
Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved piano instructional apparatus which is positionable on the keyboard in such a manner so as to allow the unit to move transversely so that different keys may be selected by the user;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a piano instructional device which uses two sets of LEDs of two different colors to allow left or right hand striking of the notes, depending on the color LED which is lit;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved piano instructional unit which enables the user to select the tempo of the music, whether to utilize a built-in metronome, and whether the person selects only to play with a single hand rather than both hands during practice;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved piano instructional device which has been pre-programmed to allow the user to visually follow the notes to be played by the color of a certain LED as notes in a selected tune are played, and the tempo at which to play the notes as they appear through the lighted LEDs.